Game apparatus



June 27, 1933. SHEFFLER ET AL 1,915,452

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 27, 1933. R. N,SHEFFLER ET AL GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M721)*2 {OM96 WWW.

June 27, 1933. R. N. Si- IEFFLER ET AL GAME APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Dec. 15. 1951 f M, M??

June 27, 1933. R. SHEFFLER ET AL 1,915,452

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 27,1933 "UNITED STATES rarest orrica RUSSEL N. SHEFFLER AND WILLIAM J. SI-IEFFLER, 0F LOS ANGELES', CALIFORNIA GAME APPARATUS Application filedDecember 15, 1931. Serial N0. 581,227.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and has particular referenceto amechanical game apparatus simulating the game of hasket ball.

It is an object of this invention toprovide a game board enclosed withina suitable glass-front casing and having goals or baskets at theopposite ends of the casing, together with means whereby balls or otherprojectiles may be propelled froiirthe surface of the game board towardand into the said baskets, suitable means being provided for returningtheballs from theb'askets onto the game board and into position forfurther play.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanical game apparatusincluding means whereby a player or players may project the balls orother pro ectiles nto the baskets at opposite ends of thecasing, and toprovide a trough-like ball accumulating device for receiving the ballsfrom the baskets and retaining them in a position remote from the gameboard, the passage of balls from the accumulating trough back to thesurface of the game board being under the control of the player throughthe instrumentality of suitable check or coin controlled mechanisms.

It is an object of this invention to prov de a game apparatussimulating, on a miniature scale, the game of basket ball, and in whichthe balls pass from the baskets into an accumulating trough, then into adistributing trough and, finally, into a position on the game boardsurface to be again projected toward and into the baskets at oppositeends of the apparatus, the passage of the balls from the vaccumulatingtrough to the distributing trough preferably being under the control ofcheck or coin controlled mechanism, and the passage of the balls fromthe distributing trough onto the game board being under the control ofmechanism whereby the balls are individually and selectively moved fromsaid distributing trough onto the game board where they rollinto aposition to be engaged by the pro ecting mechanisni.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a game apparatus ofthe character described in which the game board includes a pair ofdepressed portions located at each side of the device, each of thedepressed portions having a cup-shaped center portion over which theball will lodge, and to associated with each of the cup-shaped centerportions, a manually controlled and operated plunger, by means of whicha ball, after coming to rest 011 the center portion, may be projectedtoward and/or into the basket at the opposite side of the apparatus, thegame board surface being centrally divided and sloping downwardly fromsaid line of division toward the several depressed portions at oppositesides of the game board surface. 7

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a gameapparatus of the character described, in which the game may be playedwith a predetermined number of balls, say ten, and in which the relativelength of the distributing trough with respect to the length of theaccumulating trough is so proportioned that regardless of the number ofballs retained in the several branches of the accumulating trough, anequal number of balls, say five, will be supplied to the severalbranches of the distributing trough when the balls are released fromtheir position in the accumulating trough. It is a'still further objectof this invention to provide a game apparatus of the characterdescribed, which is cheap and easy to manu facture, strong and durable,highly interest- 5 ing and amusing, and in which the success of the gameand the total number of goals or baskets made, is dependent upon theelement of chance and upon the skill and dexterity of the competingplayers. I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustratiomwehave shown a preferred embodiment of the inventionz Figure l isa frontelevation of a game apparatus made in accordance with our invention, I

Fig. 2. is a front elevation of the device, partly in section andillustrating certain features of construction,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of Fig. 5 is a sectional viewshowing the projecting mechanism, and theejecting' mecha-'.

nism for individually and selectively moving the balls from thedistributing trough onto the game board surface,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a of the ejecting mecahnism, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of parts of themechanism forreleasingthe balls from the distributing trough. I

1, Referring to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters have beenemployed to illustrate-like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 10 designates a box-like casing of, wood or othersuitablematerial, having an open front side, a portion of which is preferably,covered with glass or other transparent material, below which is a baseor panel board 11. The game board 12 is secured within'the casing andextends horiportion zontally between the inner side surfaces of thecasing 10 in a plane coinciding with the top edge of the base or panelboard 11. This game board has its front edge suitably attached to therear side of thebase ,or, panel board ll and extends rearwardly towardthe back ofthebasinglO, the rearedge of this game board being attachedtothe front edge of a distributingtrough13, which trough is secured bysuitable fastening means (not shown) to the inner surface of the back of40 the casing 10; Attached totheinnersurface of the back of the casing10 by any suitable fastening means, (not shown) is an accumulatingtrough 14, the ends of which are shaped to cooperate with the back andside portions of the casing 10 to provide ball-receiving receptacles 15,immediately above which are positionech in parallel, spaced relation,the semi-annular loops or baskets 16.

The accumulating trough 14 comprises two relatively long branches 17 and18. which extend downwardly from the receptacles 15 and meet at thecenter of the back wall of the casing 10. The bottom surface of each ofthe trough members 17 and 18 is cut out as at 19, so that, under theproper operating conditions, balls rolling down the trough members 17and 18 may drop through the said openings 19, one at a time, and intothe underlying distributing trough 13. The passage of the balls from theaccumulation trough 14 is selectively controlled by a. V- shaped member20 which, whenin its lowermost position such as shown in full lines inFigs; 2. 3 and 4, constitutesa barrier and prevents the balls fromfalling through the i openings 19 at the inner ends of the trough ber 20from the barrier (full-line) position to the non-barrier (dotted line)position shown in the accompanying drawings.

Upward movement of the barrier member 20 may be effected and controlledby any suitable mechanism, coin or check controlled or otherwise, but inthe preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the said member is providedwith a depending link 24 having an inturned terminal portion 25, whichengages beneath an arm 26 of an L-shaped lever pivotally mounted betweenspaced 'lu'gs carried by the inner surface of the distributing trough13. The opposite end 27 of the pivoted lever is engaged by theupstanding arm 28 of a reciprocating slide 29' which extends through thefront panel 11 of the casing and is provided with a coin or checkcontrolled member 30. of any desired or preferred construction, it beingobvious that as the slide 29 is moved toward the back of the casing 10,the upstanding arm 28. will engage the arm 27 of the pivoted lever, thismovement causing the arm 26 to lift the link 2-1 to raise the barrier20, thus permitting the balls to roll out of the'openings 19. and intothe distributing trough 13. As soon as all the balls have passed fromthe accumulating trough l into the distributing trough 13, the slide 29is moved forwardly by the coin or check controlled member 30, whereuponthe V- shaped member 20 moves downwardly into its barrier position,which prevents further passage of balls from the accumulating troughlauntil the coin or check controlled mechanism 30 andits associatedparts, are

again actuated.

The distributing trough 13 comprises two branches 31 and 32 whichincline downwardly from a point immediately beneath the center ormeeting point ofthe trough members 17 and 18, the length 'of thebranches 31 and 32 being somewhat less than the length ofth'e overlyingtrough members 17 and 18 respectively. Or, to state this relationship inanother way, the branches 31 and 32 are oflsuch a length or extent thateach of them may contain one-half of the total number of balls used inthe game, whereas the branches 17 and 18 are of greater length and mayeach contain more than half of the total number of balls used in thegame. The lower end of the front wall of each trough 31 and '32 iscutaway as atv 33 to form an outlet through which. the individual ballsmay be selectively ejected from the trough members and onto the playingfield or game board surface 12. The ejector mechanism for individuallymoving the balls from the branches 31 and 32 of the distributing trough13, oomprises a plate-like member 34, pivot'ally mounted between spacedparallel lug members 35 extending beneath the bottom surface of thetrough 13, and having an upwardly extending arm 36 which projectsthrough an opening 37 cut through the bottom of each trough member 31and 32 in back of the outlet opening 33. An operating link 38 ispivot-ally connected to the plate-like member 34 and extends through thepanel board 11 and terminates in a knob 39, it being obvious that as thelink 38 is moved outwardly, such movement will rock the plateiike member34 in a clockwise direction about its pivotal mounting and will causethe arm 36 to move downwardly through the opening 37 and out of the wayof the lowermost ball in the trough, which ball will then roll down intothe extreme end of the trough and immediately over the hole 37 and thearm 36. Inward movement of the link 38 will cause the member 34 to movein a counterclockwise direction about its pivotal mounting and thus thearm 36 will be moved through the opening 37 and will lift the lowermostball from the trough and will eject the same through the opening 33 andonto the playing field or game board 12, the presence of the arm 36 nowpreventing the next ball in the trough from rolling into the extreme endof the trough over the hole 37. In order that the arms 36 will always bein the uppermost position when the barrier member 20 is raised and theballs are rolling into the branches 31 and 32, after the release orupward movement of the barrier 20, a bar member 40 is provided, which isriveted or otherwise attached to the arm 28 and thus moves inwardly asthe slide 29 moves inwardly. The ends of thisbar 4O engage beneath thebottom edge of the plate 34 and hence the ejector arm 36 is moved toitsuppermost position simultaneous y with the upward movement of thebarrier member 20.

The playing field or game board surface of the device comprises a pairof depressed portions 41 and 42 located at each side of the surface,each of the depressed portions having a cup-shaped center portion 43over which the balls will lodge. That portion of the surface between thepairs of depressed portions 41 and 42 slopes upwardly as at 44 and meetsin a centrally-positioned dividing ridge 45.

Each of the cup-shaped depressed portions 43 is provided with a plunger46 which passes through a suitable opening in the rim portion of thecup-shaped depression and is restricted to limited sliding movementswithin said opening by means of enlarged head portions on each end ofsaid plunger. The two plungers associated with the depressed portions41" and 42' at the left side'- of the device are inclined and directedtoward the goal or basket at the right hand side of the device, whereasthose plungers associated with the depressed portions 41 and 42 at theright side of the f device, are inclined'and directed toward the goal orbasket at the left hand side of the device, the arrangement being suchthat if the proper impetus is imparted to the'plunger,

the ball resting thereabove will be projected toward and into the goalor basket at the opposite end of the game apparatus. Associated witheach of the plungers 46 is an actuating lever or hammer 47, providedwith an enlarged contact portion 48 at itsinner end and invention, wewill now describe the operatic-n of the same. Assuming that the game isto be played with a total of ten balls, five of which are to be used byeach of the two competing players, a check or coin, say a five centcoin, is inserted in the check or coin controiled device 30 and thisdevice 30 moved inwardly, which moves the slide 29 toward the rear ofthe cabinet. During this movement of the slide 29, the upstanding arm 28will engage the arm 27 of the pivoted lever, causing the arm 26 to liftthe link 24 to raise the barrier 20, thus permitting the balls to rollout of the openings 19 and into the dis tributing trough 13;Simultaneously with the rearward movement of the slide 29 and the arm28, the bar 40 carried by the arm 28 moves rearwardly, the end portionsof this bar contacting with the lower edge of the member 34 and,'hence,the ejector arm 36 is moved to its uppermost position simultane ouslywith the upward movement of the barrier member 20'. Regardless of thenumber of balls contained in each of the branches 17 and 18 of theaccumulating trough, said balls will roll down the said branches andthrough the openings 19 and will be distributed in equal numbers in thebranches 31 and 32 of the distributing trough 13, it being noted thatthe said branches 31 and 32 are of a length sufhcient to accommodatetherein a predetermined number of balls, say onehalf of the total numberof balls with which the game is being. played. Let it be assumed, forthe purpose of illustration, that the branch 17 contains seven balls andthat the branch 18 contains three balls, the said balls, upon the upwardmovement of the barrier 20, will roll from the branches 17 and 1.8 andinto the branches 31 and 32, respectively, of

balls from the branch 17 will fill.up the branch 31 with five of theseven balls and the three balls from branch 18 will partially fill thebranch 32, the sixth and seventh balls falling from the branchl?contacting with the fifth ball inthe branch 3]. and rolling into thebranch 32, thus assuring a proper and equal distribution of balls to thebranches 31 and 32 of the distributing trough, it being noted thatduring this distribution, the ejector head 36 is in its uppermostposition which prevents theballs from rolling out of the discharge endof the branches 31 and 32.

As soon as the balls are properly distributed as above described, one ofthe players pulls outwardly on the knob 39, which moves the rod 38outwardly, thus moving the member 34 in a clockwise direction about itspivotal mounting to move the arm 36 into the opening 37 to a positionshown in full lines in Fig. 5, thus permitting the lowermost ball toroll downwardly and to occupy a position at the extremelower end of thebranch and directlyover the opening 37. Inward movement of the rod 38reverses the direction of movement of the member 34 and causes the armto move to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, thus pushingthe overlying ball through the opening 33 onto the playing field or gameboard surface. The said ball will roll over one of the adjacentcup-shaped depressions 43in position to be 7 projected toward thebaskets or loops 16 at the opposite side of the game apparatus. Theplayer then pushes downwardly upon the handle portion 49 which moves thelever 47 upwardly to cause the hammer portion 48 to deliver a sharp,quick blow to the lower end of the plunger 46. Assuming that the, properimpetus has been imparted .to the plunger, the ball will be projectedinto one of the loops or baskets 16 and into the underlying receptacle15, from which it will roll into the asso ball rolls over one of thecup-shaped depressions 43 on that side of the apparatus from which itwas previously projected, then. the player-has another chance to try fora goal with the same ball, but if it rolls over one of the cup-shapeddepressions 43 on the opposite side of the apparatus, then the competingplayer secures the advantage of an additional ball. i If the firstplayer, makes a goal or basket then the competing player actuates theejector mechanism to move a ball from his side of the distributingtrough onto the adjacent portion of the playing field or game board,from cumulation trough to the distributing trough being under thecontrol of the check or coin device and its assoc ated mechanism. Ifdesired, the casing 10 may be provided with a plurality of balls orbuttons strung on a rod or wire to assistin keeping a score of thegoals, baskets or plays made by the individ ual players.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention hereinshown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and thatvarious changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims. Having thus described our invention, we claim: Y

1. A game apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed game board, goalsdisposed above the board at opposite sides thereof, means for projectingballs from the game board into the goals, downwardly-inchnedaccumulating troughs extending from each of the goals and meeting at apoint above the center of said game board for receiving balls from thegoals, a discharge opening for the balls being provided at the meetingportion of said troughs, a barrier for the said discharge opening whichwhen in one position prevents the passage of balls through the openingand i when in another position permits the balls to pass through theopenin g and from the accunrulating'troughs, and means to actuate thesaid movable barrier to permit the passage of balls from theaccumulating troughs onto the game board for further play.

, I 2. A gameapparatus comprising a horizontally disposed game board,goals disposed above the board at opposite sides thereof,

means for projecting balls from the game board into the goals,downwardly-inclined accumulating troughs extending from each goal andmeeting at apoint above the center of said game board for receivingballs from the goals, a discharge opening for theballs being provided inthe bottom of each trough at the meeting portions of said troughs, avertically movable barrier for the bottom discharge opening which whenin its lowermost position prevents the passage of balls through theopening and, when in its uppermost position permits the balls to passthrough the opening and from the accumulating trough, andmeans'formoving the barrier to its uppermost position to permit the passage ofballs from the accumulating troughs onto the game board. for furtherplay.

3. A game apparatus comprising a hori- 5 Zontally disposed game board,goals disposed above the board at opposite sides thereof means forprojecting balls from the game board into the goals, a receptacle beloweach of said goals into which the balls pass, a 19 downwardly inclinedaccumulating trough extending from each of said receptacles, and meetingat a point above the center of said game board, a discharge opening fortheballs being provided at the meeting portions of said troughs, abarrier for said discharge opening for retaining said balls in saidtroughs, and means to move the barrier to permit the passage of ballsthrough the discharge opening from the accumulating trough onto the gameboard for further play.

4. A game apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed game board, goalsdisposer above the board at opposite sides thereof, means for projectingballs from the game board into the goals, downwardly inclinedaccumulating troughs extending from each of said goals and meeting at apoint above the center ofsaid game board for receiving the balls fromthe goals, a discharge opening for the balls being provided through thebottom of each trough at the meeting portions of said troughs, avertically-movable barrier posed within the opening discharge whichbarrier when in its lowermost position pre vents the passage of ballsthrough the opening and when in its uppermost position permits the ballsto pass through the opening from the accumulating troughs, an operatingrod for the barrier, and a connection between the operating rod and saidbarrier whereby movement of the operating rod elevates the barrier topermit the balls to passthrough the opening from the accumulatingtroughs onto the game board for further play. .i

5. A game apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed game board, goalsdisposed above the board at opposite sides thereof, means for projectingballs from the game board into the goals, downwardly-inclinedaccumulating troughs extending from each of said goals and meeting at apoint above the center of said game board for receiving balls from thegoals, a discharge opening for the balls being provided through thebottom of each trough at the meeting portions of said troughs, avertically movable barrier disposed within the opening which barrierwhen in its lowermost position prevents the passage of balls through theopening from the trough and when in its uppermost position permits theballs to pass through the opening from the accumulating troughs, avertically-disposed link attached to said barrier, ahorizontally-extending operating rod terminating adjacent the lower endof said link, and a pivoted lever located between the lower end of saidlink and the adjacent end of said operating rod whereby movement of saidrod will elevate said linlrto lift the barrier to permit the balls topass through the opening from the accumulating troughs onto the gameboard surface for further play.

6. A game apparatus comprising a game board, goals disposed above theboard, means for projecting balls from the game board into the goals, anaccumulating trough for receiving the balls from the goals, adistributing trough below said accumulating trough,

ieans for controlling the passage of balls from said accumulating troughinto said distributing trough, and means associated with saiddistributing trough for individually andselectively moving the ballsfrom said distributing trough onto the game board surface for furtherplay.

7. A game apparatus comprising a game board, goals disposed above theboard, means for projeting balls from the game board into the goals, anaccumulating trough for receiving the balls from the goals, adistributing trough below said accumulating trough, a barrier at thedischarge end of the accumulating trough, a barrier at the discharge endof the distributing trough, and means for moving the accumulating troughbarrier to permit the passage of balls into the distributing trough andsimultaneously moving the distributing trough barrier to prevent thepassage of balls from the distributing trough onto the game board.

8. A game apparatus comprising a game board, goals disposed above theboard, means for projecting balls from the game board into the goals, anaccumulating trough for receiving the balls from the goals, adistributing trough below said accumulating trough,

barrier at the discharge end of the accumulating trough, a barrier atthe discharge end of the distributing trough, means for moving theaccumulation trough barrier to permit the passage of balls into thedistributing trough and simultaneously moving the distributing troughbarrier to prevent the passage of balls from the distributing trough,and means for moving the distributing trough barrier to permit thepassage of balls from said trough onto the game board for further play.

9. A game apparatuscomprising a game board, goals disposed above theboard, means for projecting balls from the game board into the goals, anaccumulating trough for receiving balls from the goals,a distributingtrough below said accumulating trough, a

barrier at the discharge end of the accumulating trough which when inone position permits the passage of the balls from the accumulatingtrough to the distributing trough and when in another position preventssuch passage, a combined barrier and ejector at the discharge end of thedistributing trough which when in one position prevents the passage ofballs fromrsaid trough and when in another position permits the balls toroll into aposition to be ejected, from the discharge end of the saiddistributing trough, and means for actuating the said barriers.

10. A game apparatus comprising a game board, goals disposed above theboard, means for projecting ballsfrom the game board into the goals, adistributing trough for receiving balls from the goals, said troughhaving a discharge opening adjacent the game board surface, apivotedmember having a portion adapted to extend through the bottom ofthe discharge trough near the discharge opening therein, and means formoving said member about its pivotal mounting to move a ball through thedischarge opening and onto the game board for further play.

11, A game apparatus comprising a casing, a game board located at thebottom of the casing, goals disposed above the board on opposite sidesof said casing, means for projecting balls from the game board into thegoals, an accumulating trough, comprising downwardly inclined branchesleading from a position beneath the goals andmeeting near the center ofthe casing, said branches each being of suflicient length to accommodatemore than half of the total number of balls used in the game, adistributing trough below said accumulating trough comprising downwardlyinclined branches each being of a length to accommodate only one-half ofthe total number of balls used in the game, means for controlling thepassage of said balls from 403' said accumulating trough into saiddistributingtrough, and means associated with each of the distributingtroughs for individually and selectively moving the balls fromeachbranch onto the game board surface for further play. 12. A gameapparatus comprising a casing; a game board located at the bottom of thecasing; goals disposed above the board on opposite sides of said casing;receptacles below said goals into which the balls may pass;

'50 an accumulating trough comprising downwardly inclined trough membersleading from said receptacles and meeting near the center portion ofsaid casing, said troughs being of a suflicient length to accommodatemore than half of the total number of balls used in the game; adistributing trough below said accumulating trough comprising branchesinclining downwardly from beneath the meeting point of the troughmembers of the accumulating trough, 1 each of said branches being of alength to accommodate only one-half'of the total number of balls used inthe game; a barrier for controlling the' passage of balls from saidaccumulating vtrough into said distributing trough; a combined barrierand ball ejector at the discharge end of each branch of the distributingtrough; means to actuate the barrier of the accumulating trough and thecombined barrier and ejector of the distributing trough tosimultaneously move the barrier of the accumulating trough to permit thepassage of balls therefrom and to prevent the passage of balls from thedischarge end of the distributing trough; and means to move the combinedbarrier and ball ejector independently of the movement of theaccumulating trough barriers. I

13. A game apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed game board,goals disposed above the game board at opposite sides thereof, means atopposite ends of the game board for projecting balls from the game boardinto the goals, accumulating troughs for receiving the balls from thegoals and discharging them at a point above the center of said gameboard, and means extending from below the discharge point of theaccumulating troughs for conveying the balls to the projecting means atopposite ends of the game board. V

14. A game apparatus comprising a horizonta-lly disposed game board,goals disposed above the game board at opposite sides thereof, means atopposite ends of the game board for projecting balls from the game boardinto the goals, downwardly inclined accumulating troughs extending fromeach of said goals for receiving the balls from the goals anddischarging them at a point above the center of said game board, anddistributing troughs extending from below the discharge point'of theaccumulating troughs for conveying the balls to the projecting means atopposite ends of the game board.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

RUSSEL N. SHEFFLER. WVILLIAM J. SHEFFLER.

